HONOLULU - At the President's direction, federal disaster assistance is now available to help individuals and households recover from the impacts of the Kona Earthquake that occurred May 22, 2026. The Major Disaster Declaration, declared on Sept. 1, 2026, authorizes FEMA's Individual Assistance program for Hawaiʻi County, with a registration period running until Nov. 1, 2026.

If you have homeowners or renters' insurance, you should file a claim as soon as possible. By law, FEMA cannot duplicate benefits for losses covered by insurance. If your policy does not cover all your damage expenses, you may then be eligible for federal assistance.

How to Apply for FEMA Assistance

Survivors can apply for FEMA Individual Assistance by:

• Phone: Calling FEMA's toll-free hotline at 1-800-621-3362 (1-800-621-FEMA)
  • If you use a relay service, such as video relay, captioned telephone, or another service, please provide FEMA the number for that service.
  • Staff are available from 7:00a.m. to 10:00p.m. HST, 7 days a week.
• Online: Visiting DisasterAssistance.gov
• Mobile App: Using the FEMA app on a smartphone or tablet.

Registration is free and survivors should apply soon. Applications can be updated with additional information if your situation changes.

Be Ready with Key Information

Having important information and documents ready will help speed up your application. When applying, please have:

• Your current contact information (phone number, mailing address, and email, if available)
• The address of the damaged home
• Your social security number
• Insurance information, including any homeowners, renters, or flood insurance policy and known coverage
• A brief description of the damage and any losses
• Bank account and routing numbers if you choose direct deposit for any approved assistance

You do not need to have all documents in hand to start your application but providing complete and accurate information will help prevent delays.

What FEMA Individual Assistance May Provide

FEMA's Individual Assistance program is designed to help survivors with basic, essential needs that are not covered by insurance or other sources. Depending on individual circumstances, assistance may include:

• Temporary housing assistance for homeowners and renters who cannot live in their homes due to disaster damage
• Basic home repairs to make a primary residence safe, sanitary, and functional
• Other Needs Assistance, which may help with necessary expenses such as:
  • Personal property
  • Transportation
  • Certain medical, dental, or childcare costs
  • Other eligible disaster-related expenses

FEMA assistance is not a replacement for insurance and is not intended to restore all losses. It is designed to help jump-start recovery by assisting with essential needs.

Insurance and Other Help

• If you have insurance, contact your provider as soon as possible to file a claim.
• State and County Agencies, as well as local non-profit and faith-based organizations, lead recovery efforts. FEMA is working closely with the State of Hawai'i and local partners to help connect survivors with available support.
• U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) low-interest disaster loans are available for homeowners, renters, businesses of any size and nonprofits. Like FEMA, SBA cannot duplicate benefits for losses covered by insurance.
  • Businesses and residents can apply online at sba.gov/disaster. For questions and assistance in completing an application, call 800-659-2955 or email [email protected]. For people who are deaf, hard of hearing, or have a speech disability, please dial 7-1-1 to access telecommunications relay services.